A Different Tomorrow
by lady jack
Summary: Hanazawa Rui is marked to die. But can his would-be killer complete the mission? Or will a secret love affair destroy everything?
1. PROLOGUE

**Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights to Hana Yori Dango. Kamio-sensei is a genius and I only respectfully borrow the names and identities of the characters she has so wonderfully created.**

**CHAPTER 1: PROLOGUE  
**_**"He Must Die..."**_

Tokyo was beautiful in the autumn.

A city full of concrete streets and cold glass skyscrapers, industrially representing a large sphere of the world's commerce, glowed a beautiful auburn in the fall. Trees on every street corner, in every park, dropped their green leaves in favor of golden colored foliage, spilling their fire colored wares on the unsuspecting heads of pedestrians. Spring was world renowned for its glorious cherry blossoms but little did people know that Japan truly shone in the autumn, when everything was dying spectacularly in a display of molten gold and Chianti red.

A pair of black eyes pulled themselves away from the sight of such a spectacle, leaving behind the picturesque scene of a gingko tree shedding its warm brown counterparts onto the surface of a reflecting pond. The two almond shaped eyes looked to an elderly man entering the room from behind large shoji screens that framed the pond with painted rice paper doors, as the body they belonged to bowed into a deep bend of respect.

"Father," a feminine voice broke the silence, the eyes rising with the words. A young woman of twenty four raised herself up to address the older man, who was occupied with taking a seat across from her on the silk edged tatami, groaning slightly as he pulled a satin cushion beneath his knees.

The man said nothing as the young woman moved to pour him tea, pale green liquid flowing silently from the spout of an antique ceramic teapot into delicate white bone china, taking the cup offered to him with a quiet nod of his head.

"Did you miss home while you were gone?" The man broke the silence, his gruff voice stark in comparison to the smooth quality of hers.

He looked to his daughter, affection hidden deep beneath his stoic expression, often unexpressed, unnamed and unmentioned, though many speculated it indeed existed. Whether his daughter believed that affection to be true was even more questionable.

Smiling slowly, pale pink lips curving and emphasizing rosy cheeks dimpled ever so slightly, the young woman nodded. Sipping her tea, she rested the delicate cup in her lap as she spoke. "Very much so. I missed home so terribly much..."

Shifting her legs beneath her, she absently adjusted the silk collar at her neck. Dressed in a kimono of pale silver, the color polished with pink undertones and embellished with white cranes flying amongst falling leaves of burgundy red, she contemplated the sight just beyond the boundaries of the room that had left such a deep impression on her.

The young woman's ancestral home in which she sat dated back almost two hundred years, her kin hailing from a long lost line of samurai clans, wealthy merchants, and common thieves in the times of feudalism. Presently, though, her family had abandoned the ways of the warrior and adopted new means. The Aoyama family oversaw one of the largest syndicated organized crime rings in their territory, with the young woman's father at the head of it all – he was a yakuza mafia boss, simply put. This form of financial support had provided well for the Aoyama and their offspring; they maintained a lavish estate on prime Tokyo real estate, complete with large landscaped gardens and numerous buildings to house the family and "staff" of numerous yakuza underlings needed for protection and operation of the syndicate.

"Naoko."

The young woman turned her attention to her father once again, Aoyama Naoko's eyes suddenly wary of his serious tone. "Yes?" She replied politely, sipping her tea to occupy her nervous hands.

Her father, Aoyama Junzaburo, was only in his early fifties but during the extended absence she'd taken from home in the last year, his features had become tired, weathered from hard work and worry. If Naoko hadn't known how he spent his days (overseeing gambling and various illegal construction operations), she might have mistaken him for an overworked salary man, haggard from long days at the office, rather than the man at the top of many of a policeman's most wanted list.

"I think you know why I've summoned you home." Aoyama Junzaburo's firm tone left little room for conversational escape and Naoko set her teacup down, preparing herself for what was to come.

"You have a favor to ask me?" She finished his thought, her eyes staring pointedly at him through a crescent of dark eyelashes.

Junzaburo reached into the fold of his kimono, he himself clad entirely in the dark drab of formal, stiff attire. The feel of a silk suit only graced his skin when he stepped outside of his home. Behind the walls of the Aoyama estate, formality and tradition were king and the family's formal clothing only proceeded to skim the surface of this unsaid rule.

He pulled out a photograph and set it on the table between the two, sliding it closer to her so that she could see. Naoko's fingers hesitantly reached out to pull the snapshot to her as she stared at the man in the picture, a youthful face that only looked a little older than her own. The man in the photograph walked down a street, a white paper cup of coffee in his hand, his tall frame dwarfing many around him. Light brown hair framed his eyes, a kind yet somewhat serious expression upon his face.

Naoko held the photograph tightly, closing her eyes briefly as she wished to be anywhere else but there at that particular moment. "Father, what is it that you want from me?" She questioned quietly, wishing him far, far away for not the first time in her life.

"His father has gone stale on a deal we made a year ago." Junzaburo did not meet his daughter's eyes, instead looking out to the sculpted gardens beyond the open doors. "He's begun to tip off the police about our family and our activities. He must taught a lesson before this spreads out of hand. His son is the perfect tool to convince him of his… infractions."

"Why punish the son?" Naoko let the photograph slip to the floor, the man now facedown on the tatami, as she dropped all honorifics and addressed her father without the respect she usually reserved for him. "Why punish the son if it is the father who's angered you?"

"You know how our world is run, Naoko." Her father looked to her sharply, his brown furrowed in barely suppressed annoyance at her disobedience. "My enemies would take any chance they could find to get at me by harming you – that is just how it is done in this business. When you are in my position, you will understand. For now, you will just have to trust my guidance."

"I told you I would never involve myself in your business again," Naoko whispered, her voice hoarse as she stared off in the distance, her mind lost somewhere far away. "You don't know how long it took for me to forget. Please don't ask me for this favor, father."

"Naoko, you are the only one up to the task. Of us all, you are the only one who can get close enough to him without arousing any suspicion. I am asking this favor of you for the sake of your family's survival," Junzaburo's tone was commanding, his request obviously only a formality, for he expected his daughter to agree to what he asked of her.

"I cannot." Naoko's voice cracked in desperation, her eyes turning on her father, silently pleading with him to change his mind. "I cannot… Please…"

"Naoko." Junzaburo interrupted his daughter with a frightening firmness, his voice calm but his eyes deadly serious. "You must do this. If you do not, the safety of our family is not guaranteed anymore. If you refuse, think of what will happen to all of this." His eyes swept around the room, indicating the comfortably plush lifestyle she'd grown accustomed to.

Shaking her head, her eyes shut tightly, Naoko tried to block out his words. She had promised herself to never be persuaded by his arguments again – he had said the same last time and she'd given in, leading her to commit the single biggest mistake of her short life, and she absolutely refused to ever do it again.

Her father selfishly requested of her what a son would be expected to, but as his only child, the responsibility fell on her petite shoulders, until she married someone capable of handling the family business.

"Naoko, I won't repeat myself again." Her father's voice interrupted the moment of calm she'd managed to sustain in her silent refusal. "You know what must be done. The Hanazawa family must be punished for turning their backs on us. By eliminating their only heir, we deliver the most painful blow imaginable to them."

Naoko's eyes slowly opened as she turned the photograph over to take a better look at the man, her fingertips shakily reaching out to touch the glossy surface. _He was so young_, she thought as she traced his handsome features with her index finger, a catch in her throat as she struggled to control her emotions.

"He must die, Naoko." Aoyama Junzaburo's voice delivered the final ultimatum, to which Naoko knew he would not accept her refusal. He held the fate of the Hanazawa family in his hands and he was now passing the responsibility on her. "Hanazawa Rui must die."

_ Hanazawa Rui must die._

As the words echoed in Naoko's ears, her stomach twisted into knots. All she could do was stare hopelessly at the man in the photograph, a man destined for death with the help of her own two hands…

**Author's Note: **

****_Hello again everyone!_

It has been so long since I've posted anything and I apologize for the long haitus. Life simply became overwhelming... and I grew apart from this community for awhile. I have read and enjoyed everyone's wonderful comments since I stopped posting and I appreciate all of the love, concern, and kindness everyone has shown me. To all of my readers out there, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, because your reviews and comments always make me smile and lift my day up no matter how hard life is! 

_I have decided not to finish my other HYD fanfic, Meeting Destiny. It was a very personal decision, as well as the fact that I no longer have the original file with my notes, final chapters, etc. to work with - thank you, computer viruses for inconviencing my life! I do intend to write another Domyouji/Makino fanfic- that's truly where my heart lies but this little fanfic is a diversion into an idea that's been brewing for awhile. _

_Hopefully everyone will be willing to accept a character non-existant in the traditional HYD established set-up. Please do give this little story of mine a chance - I will work hard not to disappoint you. And I do promise to finish this one, so have no fear! It's completely different from my last story, which was light hearted and warm - but knowing me, this one will veer off into that same direction soon enough._

_Please leave me your honest opinions of this first chapter - I know it's a bit long but I felt I needed to set the scene. I can't wait to hear from everyone!_

_- Lady Jack_


	2. A Perfect Mess

_Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights to Hana Yori Dango. Kamio-sensei is a genius and I only respectfully borrow the names and identities of the characters she has so wonderfully created._

**CHAPTER 2: A PERFECT MESS**

Hanazawa Rui must die? If only that question had a simple answer.

Everyone eventually dies… Aoyama Naoko mused logically as she tugged up the collar of her thick wool coat, a gust of wind blowing fallen leaves around her boots as she stepped across a bustling Tokyo high street.

Natural disasters, train accidents, falling down the stairs, tripping over a banana peel; all were perfectly good excuses for death. But murder? Murder was dirty, murder involved too much effort and planning. There was no spontaneity in murder, nothing left to chance. However, father always gets what father wants…

And father wanted Hanazawa Rui dead.

Quietly, Naoko slipped through the doors of the Hanabi Book Emporium, removing her sunglasses with the slightest reluctance. Brushing a few stray hairs from her eyes, she glanced around, needlessly cautious as she took in her surroundings. Certainly no one would recognize the pampered princess here, oh so very far away from her favored stomping grounds – wasn't that, after all, the reason her father had chosen this exact location?

A few idle youths lounged about the bookstore, immersed in their manga and mugs of coffee. In the corner a small group of OL's giggled behind a rack of fashion glossies, no doubt debating which idol was the most delicious dish of the week. Adjusting her purse as she strode forward, leisurely pausing to feign interest in a few displays, Naoko tapped her foot, her naturally impatient nature kicking in. Another annoying aspect of a murder? It took too damn long to orchestrate. She of little patience simply hadn't the motivation to sit through minor details of this foolish game.

Thankfully, moments later a head of brown hair appeared over the top of a bookshelf, revealing the solemn face of her lanky target. Eyes downward, a scratchy tweed cap pulled low over his features, Hanazawa Rui appeared the epitome of any urban college aged student. If, of course, every student could afford custom Italian made shoes and a designer coat that had left him little change out of a few million yen. God was in the details, especially in the hand stitching of his leather driving gloves. But… Hadn't Naoko purchased those exact gloves for her father last Christmas? She quickly made a mental note not to repeat that gift this year.

Concealing a smile, Naoko snaked around the bookshelves and made a sneaky beeline for Rui. At the very last second, just as she was excusing herself in a false attempt to move around him, she purposely – yet somehow quite convincingly – tripped over her own feet. Knocking into him, purse slipping masterfully down her arm, Naoko's cry of surprise was quickly overwhelmed by the sound of her belongings scattering across the floor.

Startled, Rui instinctively reached out to steady the girl, almost shocked to find that she clenched back, her slender fingers snaking around his arm with surprising strength. Maintaining only the bare minimum amount of contact necessary to keep her afloat, Rui struggled to regain his personal space.

Letting her hand fall from his forearm, Naoko immediately adopted her best damsel in distress expression and looked up to Rui with wide, innocent eyes meant to distract him from the sight of her hand slipping surreptitiously into her pocket. "Sumimasen! I'm so, so very sorry! Are you okay? I didn't mean, I'm just such a klutz, what a fool I am –"

Nodding impatiently, Rui grasped the few books he held in his free hand close to his chest, deeply annoyed by her intrusion. "I'm fine. Do you… need help?" He added reluctantly, his offer less than sincere as he surveyed the spilled contents of her purse.

"Oh, not at all! I'm terribly sorry! I apologize for troubling you!" Bowing deeply, Naoko let her voice tremble in fake embarrassment, a flustered blush traveling masterfully up her cheeks. Almost impressed at her own acting abilities, she turned the full effect of her doe eyes onto him as she wrung her hands together, nervously waiting for his reaction.

Disappointment (but certainly not surprise, for she must have looked only a touch insane) filled her as Rui simply nodded and walked away, not pausing for even a second glance. Bowing hurriedly to his retreating back, mostly for the effect of those watching the scene unfold, Naoko waited a respectful moment before dropping to her knees. Scooping up her purse and accoutrements deftly, she watched Rui pay for his books and exit the store from behind a curtain of dark hair.

Pausing just a few moments after he disappeared from sight, she stood and strode quickly from the store, swiftly following in his footsteps. With a satisfied smile, she pulled a set of keys from her coat pocket, fondling the thick, masculine leather strap attached to them. In her hand lay the key fob of a foreign made model, which make precisely she hadn't the slightest idea – but she knew exactly how to find the vehicle. Hanazawa Rui would eventually retrace his steps to find his missing car keys but Naoko would kindly meet him halfway, being quite the considerate pickpocket she was.

It only took a few blocks to track him down, for he was the only one the street standing next to an elegant white import (British, restored and vintage, her mind noting his good taste absently) looking frustrated, rooting fruitlessly through his pockets. Making the most use of her delicate features and feminine wits, though she knew it had about as much effect on him as a dried squid, Naoko strode up to him before he had a chance to react and dangled the keys in his surprised face with an impish smile. "Did you forget these?"

As expected, her smile did little and Rui reached forward for the keys, anger marring his handsome features. "Is stealing your profession or just a hobby?" He asked roughly, grabbing her hand with equal force.

"Play nice, kind sir." Naoko's soft whisper caught him off guard. Rather than fighting back, she leaned heavily into his chest, covertly slipping her hand into the folds of his jacket and letting the other snake slowly around his neck.

To the pedestrians surrounding them, it might have appeared that they were embracing lovers or, perhaps at the least, that Naoko was a girl of questionable moral standards. Rui, however, was frozen as he stood, a peculiar look dawning on his face as his hands struggled to find a place by his side.

The cold metallic feeling of steel pushed pointedly into his ribs and he knew the identity of object in question instinctively, the blood draining ever so from his face as his eyes lowered to take in Naoko's jovial expression. Still maintaining an almost unsettlingly gentle smile, Naoko crinkled her nose amusedly, reassured by his lack of emotional outburst. It certainly made her job so much easier when the target didn't start complaining about the gun jammed into his side – it was almost considerate of him, really, to help her out like this.

"A black car is parked just beyond the book store. Four men are waiting inside to escort you on a little trip – I assure you it's not because of your good looks, Hanazawa-san…" Resting her hand on the nape of his neck, convincingly docile and harmless to any prying eyes around them, Naoko continued to look up at him with a tender expression.

The calmness of her tone was almost pleasant, nearly sweet enough to distract Rui from the gun pointed at the vital organs he was rather extremely fond of. "Now, please do as I say... I'm going to let you go and I'd like you to be so kind enough as to walk towards the end of the street. Turn left at the first the corner. There's an alley at the second junction, just before the soba restaurant. I'll let you know our next move if we make it that far."

Finding his voice again, the words coming out slightly strangled, Rui glanced around, his eyes catching sight of the only dark vehicle parked further up the high street, situated just as she had said. "And if I don't? Please do forgive me for not jumping at the chance to let you kill me in the privacy of some alleyway."

Naoko's eyes lost their sparkle for a second, a deep grief welling up unexpectedly behind two ebony crescents of thick eyelashes. Her voice dropped to a throaty whisper, almost as if every word caused her physical pain. "Hanazawa Rui, death would quite your ruin your day, wouldn't you say? Play along with this little game and maybe we'll both live to see tomorrow."

Her voice swayed Rui as much as is it dismayed him, yet, the strange look in her eyes compelled him to listen. The gun slowly pulled away from his side, seamlessly melting back into the folds of Naoko's coat. Rui hesitated for just moment, unsure whether it wise to put his trust in this strange girl.

"Unlike me, those men will have no second thoughts about shooting you dead where you stand." Naoko's hand slipped unconsciously to the collar of Rui's coat, folding it neatly into place as she sensed his hesitation. As her fingertips grazed his neck, Rui flinched, the trembling of her hand a disturbingly stark contrast to the dulcet quality of her words. "Now, I beg of you to start walking – and, please, do make an effort and act as if I'm not trying to save your life."

_**Author's Note:**_

_Thank you everyone for your kind responses to the first chapter of this odd and unusual journey I've begun! I appreciate the wonderful reviews and everyone who has added this story to their favorites - I will try not to disappoint in the chapters to come, promise. Please keep reading and do review - your comments mean so much to me. This story is as much yours as it is mine, my wonderful readers - except that I take all responsibility for the spelling errors and grammatical issues, of course. :)  
_

_Enjoy this chapter and look forward to the next installment. I assure you it won't take nearly as long as the last time for me to update - I've gone on a bit of a writing spree. _

_- Lady Jack  
_


	3. Angel of Mercy

**Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights to Hana Yori Dango. Kamio-sensei is a genius and I only respectfully borrow the names and identities of the characters she has so wonderfully created.**

**CHAPTER 3**

**_"Angel of Mercy_**"

_Was this really happening?_

Hanazawa Rui felt betrayed by reality, betrayed by the false sense of safety and self-confidence that he had built up around his reputation. He was, after all, a Hanazawa – heir to a multi-billion yen company and to some of the most prestigious stock in the world. His name meant something – his _family_meant something.

Surely, this was a figment of his imagination. A bad dream, perhaps? Yes – this situation had to be fantasy. Assassinations and kidnappings only happened in the movies - the type of films that aired on late night television, when reputable folk were asleep and the night owls began their day.

_This could not really be happening to him._..

Mistaking his confusion for composure, Aoyama Naoko was grateful for Rui's compliant behavior as she followed closely behind him, matching her steps to his long strides. Taking his elbow firmly as he turned into the alley, Naoko glanced determinedly over her shoulder. "Run – Hanazawa Rui, run!" She exclaimed suddenly, pulling him into a dead sprint.

Utterly baffled by the swift change in her demeanor, Rui followed her lead, feeling he now had no choice but to listen. As they sprinted down the long alley, the black car turned into the street, the driver catching a glimpse of them just as they rounded the next corner. Increasing her speed, lungs burning in resistance, Naoko led the way as they blindly raced through the streets.

The sound of the car's engine behind them spurred her forward, her eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of escape. She knew nothing of the area and by violating the plan to trap Rui, she found herself in a strange maze of side streets and trash dumpsters. Luckily, Rui's long legs kept up with her frantic sprint, the sound of his heavy breathing next to her a constant reminder of her betrayal.

A narrow corridor off to the side caught her eye and all thoughts of her wrongdoings flew out of her mind as Naoko instantly formulated a plan. Grabbing blindly for Rui's hand, catching his fingers in her own roughly, Naoko pulled him sharply out of the alley. The movement unsettled them both, causing them to loose their footings simultaneously.

Brick scraped down the length of her body, catching on the skin of her hands and Naoko heard Rui groan as he slammed into the wall behind her. The screeching of tires braking to a swift stop echoed through the alley over their shoulders, the harsh smell of rubber spinning on asphalt filtering up the narrow passage as the vehicle's doors swung open.

Cursing under her breath, ignoring the stabbing pain in her chest, Naoko turned another corner abruptly, intent on losing the men by disappearing into thin air. A concealed doorway caught her eye and she ran into it, Rui on her heels as they slowed to a stop. A bamboo shade hung from the top of the door and Naoko pulled it down as quietly as possible, looking out worriedly between the cracks in the strips of wood.

"What the hell is going on?" Rui finally managed when he caught his breath, his words a furious whisper. "If you're planning on killing me, you're doing an odd job of it!"

Uncomfortable by the bluntness of his question, Naoko shifted from foot to foot. "It's not _me_who wants to do the killing. Your father upset my father." She finally decided honesty was the best policy, thinking it a good idea not to sugar coat her words. "Your company required certain 'protections' – technical term, that is - and he employed my father's services. Apparently he's been quite a loyal customer over the years, until recently."

"You're _yakuza_?" Rui couldn't hide the incredulous streak in his words. He just found it incredibly difficult to understand how a five-foot-two, designer coiffed young woman that smelled distinctly of couture was part of an organized crime syndicate. A socialite, perhaps, but mafioso? It almost made him laugh out loud.

"My father is." Naoko clarified, irritable at being associated in the same context as the senior Aoyama. "And we wouldn't be in this situation if your father hadn't begun complaining to the nearest authorities about his lack of - shall we say satisfaction - with my father's services. Unreasonable as it may be, the Aoyama family does not appreciate the authorities intruding on our lives like we're a pack of common thieves."

"Why are you trying to save me?" Rui ignored her complaints, more interested in making sense of the crazy turn of events. If she hadn't showed up, he likely would be on his way home, preparing for a cup of tea and perhaps an afternoon nap. At the moment, nothing sounded more wonderful than a simple nap. "That's what you're doing, right? I'm assuming you would've handed me over to those thugs had you not had a change of heart. Or is this some elaborate scheme to gain my trust before you shoot me?"

"It wasn't a change of heart." Naoko leaned against the cold brick wall, sighing deeply. "No child should be trapped between the dealings of men like our fathers. I believed you shouldn't be the one to pay for someone else's lapse in judgment. No one deserves to pay for a father's sins."

"He'll forgive you, won't he?" Rui questioned, if not a tad unsympathetically, unable to sincerely believe the distress in her voice at the mention of her father. "Aren't men like him all about honor and bushido? He'll punish my father some other way once he realizes you've ruined his plan."

"Honor…" Naoko echoed, ignoring the icy cold feeling creeping down her back. Honor would not stop her father from sacrificing her in this game, especially now that she chose to ally herself with the enemy. But that was none of Hanazawa Rui's business. "Honor has nothing to do with this world. I was supposed to lure you away by any means then give the signal that you were disabled and wait for the men to pick you up. There's really nothing honorable about kidnapping, is there?"

"That's it?" Rui couldn't help but scoff, turning around defiantly to glare at the pipsqueak of a girl holding him hostage. "Are you joking with me? How could you force me to wait around long enough to be kidnapped?"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes as her fingers tightened in unconscious annoyance around the gun, Naoko gritted her teeth. "Of all the idiots, you had to be the one murder I got involved with, didn't you?" She grumbled softly, desperate for an excuse to unleash her frustration. Instead, she raised the gun ominously. "Do you really need to ask, Hanazawa-_san_?"

Opening his mouth, about to protest, Rui found Naoko's hand pressing firmly against his lips. Fear radiated from her eyes, her fingers trembling against his skin, and his heart began to beat faster as he followed her eyes out to the street. Slowly, Naoko lowered her hand, satisfied that he would remain quiet as she cradled the gun firmly at her side. Footsteps quietly shuffled about on the sidewalk just out of sight, fading into the distance once again, as if their owner was retracing his steps.

Hesitating for a moment, Naoko paused to take a second look before moving to leave. She sensed the opportunity to escape was at hand and motioned for Rui to follow her lead. "It's time we lost them for good." She whispered, pushing the bamboo shade aside.

"Do you think it's safe?" Rui whispered back, glancing out the door cautiously. "What if they see us leave?"

Chuckling, a low rumbling resonating so low that Rui could almost feel her amusement, Naoko turned to look at him. "Play dead." A roguish smile tugged at her lips, a slight dimple marking her cheek. "Because you'll be wishing it was your reality soon enough if they do."

Rui scowled at her insensitive display of humor, entirely not amused. Stepping out of the alcove, towering above her, Rui looked around at the unfamiliar neighborhood. "And what is your master plan now? Do we hide or make a run for it?"

"We don't do anything," Naoko looked up to him, her voice soft but her eyes resolved. "Being seen together out in the open would end tragically for both of us." She motioned for Rui to begin walking ahead of her, quietly treading in his footsteps as they headed further into the neighborhood.

"The best option is to find a main road and for you to hail a taxi – once you're in, stay low. Act as if you're drunk or sick – whatever you'll be most convincing at without being thrown out." Naoko's voice calmly spelled out the plan as they walked, with Rui instinctively wanting to turn around to face her.

However, her instructions continued, a hand on his shoulder indicating he should hurry his pace. "Show the driver that you have cash up front in case he's hesitant to take a sick customer, then lay on the seat as if you're unable to sit up straight. Do what you must to stay out of sight. Immediately head for a safe place – not your apartment, they'll be looking there by now, but somewhere absolutely secure."

A road was nearing in the distance, just as she had predicated, and Rui couldn't help himself anymore. Turning his head slightly, Rui struggled to meet her gaze. "And you?" He asked curiously, suspicious of her absence in the plan. "What do you intend to do?"

Smiling ever so slightly, her gaze serious, Naoko ignored his inquiry. "I would think it wise that you set up a security force around you until your father gets his affairs in order. I understand that your family has no other heir – it would be a shame if he came to know the full meaning of that predicament."

Five slender fingers suddenly grasped his jacket tightly, pulling him to a firm halt. "Do you see that taxi up the street?" Rui followed her words, glancing up the block. They had paused just at the end of the alley, an offshoot to another side street on their right and a dead end to the left.

Taking a cue from her whispered words, Rui simply nodded, glancing around cautiously. "Walk out, hail the taxi, and take the fastest route you can until you're safe. Do you understand? Do not stop to check on your father, do not stop by your home, and do not dawdle anywhere unnecessary. The fastest, shortest route possible – can you promise me that?"

Almost wanting to laugh at the severity of her tone, Rui nodded again, stepping forward the instant he felt her release his coat. As casually as possible, he walked to the curb, hand raised in an urgent manner, grabbing the taxi's attention almost immediately. Turning around, pausing just before he moved to close the door behind him, Rui felt the emptiness before he saw it.

The girl was gone.

Almost as if he had imagined it - a stranger with a gun, the threat of kidnapping, an angel of mercy in disguise… Vanished, without a trace.


End file.
